Slogging to the Finish?

A few posts back, I talked about my addiction to joining things, and how it lead me to the March to the Finish Challenge (aka Monogamous March) with some of my co-fans at the Stash & Burn Ravelry group. I listed 3 targets for finishing this month - a cardigan, a pair of socks, and a sweater. I'm thrilled to report that 2 of the 3 are now F-frickin-O's baybee! :)

Valley Yarns Northampton in Charcoal Grey; 100% wool (this yarn gets 5 stars)

Used just over 1 skein (love kid-size knits!)

US 7 (4.5mm needles); knit in pieces and seamed

Black plastic buttons and custom label from JoAnn's

Pattern Generated using Sweater Wizard v3.0 (this program rocks)

Tess Designer Yarn Super Sock & Baby; 100% superwash wool (this yarn also gets 5 stars)
Used every bit of one skein, about 450 yards - I love that about toe-up knitting
US Size 0, 1, and 1.5 needles; knit toe-up 2 at a time using Magic Loop technique
Pattern is Boyfriend Socks by Alice Bell (who blogs at Slipped Stitch)

Ok, so I'm a little excited about these two.

So what then of the final albatross? The knit that refuses to be tamed. She who will not be frogged. Alas, it is my pink Jaden.

I took her out of her project bag yesterday as a step forward. She looked at me rather crossly because (a) she's getting no attention and (b) she mumbled something about the crumpling and how the bag creases mussed her stitches. Blah, blah, blah.

Ahem. This project has major guilt entwined throughout it's rows I tell you. My good friend and I started this as a knit-a-long (you must wonder if I do anything at all of my own will; I wonder that too). We fell in love with the pattern on Knitty

and talked at length about gauge and yarn substitutions, and the wonder and frustration that is cotton. Somewhere along the way though, we Just. Plain. Stalled. In our defense, figuring out decreases in a lace pattern without explicit instruction just ain't fun. Add to that our stubborn row gauge and the need for more math than anyone should endure...the project crawled to a halt. So now what?

FO coming soon - with a brand new top!

For now, I'm going to try to ride the wave of my recent finishing spree. I'm going to take hold of my KnitPicks Options needles. I'm going to put this (heavy!) cotton top in my lap, pull out my calculator and the shamefully dingy pattern copy, and dangit all, we're gonna kiss and make up. If you don't hear from me for a while...send wool.